Mohammad Abdullah Ansari, a Y17 BS Economic Science student. Through his farewell letter to the IITK junta, Mohammad tells the story of almost being terminated to becoming one of the most iconic faces in the college community, the admin of IITK meme cell.
His story has a lot to tell, a story that seems out of an epic lore, as it showcases what it’s like to be at rock-bottom and then to climb to the very top, to become the best version of yourself.
Disclaimer:- The views presented below are the author’s own and are not in any manner representative of the views of Vox Populi as a body or IIT Kanpur in general. This is an informal account of the author’s experiences at IIT-K.
Part 1 – From Freshers’ Night to Campus Escapades: Embracing the Bakait Life at IIT Kanpur
Hello, I’m Mohammad Abdullah Ansari. I am a Y17 batch extended degree student. I am the admin of the IIT Meme Cell page and mentor the IITK Meme Hub page. As I reflect on my time here, I can’t help but smile at the memories and experiences that have shaped me into who I am today. So, grab a cup of chai and settle in as I take you on a journey through my “As We Leave” story.
It all started back in July 2017 when I entered the gates of IIT Kanpur, armed with enthusiasm and curiosity. Being a part of Hall 2, fondly known as “The Bakait Hall,” I quickly realized I had found my second home. Fate had a hilarious way of playing its cards – my Y16 Baapu (senior mentor) turned out to be the same guy I had bumped into on the train to Kanpur! Talk about a small world, or as we Bakaits say, “Bakaiti ka chakkar hai, bhai!”
One of my fondest memories from my first year was Freshers’ night. I found myself at the Fine Arts Club (FAC), and my Dada, who happened to be the coordinator of FAC, whisked me off to Rendezvous, the cultural festival of IIT Delhi. Those three days were a whirlwind of events, from literature competitions to nukkad natak performances that took me to a cultural high. I still remember trying out different local delicacies at Chandni Chowk, like hot parathas and chaat, which added to the excitement of the trip. The three days spent with my fellow FAC members were filled with laughter, conversations, and happy memories as we explored the festival grounds.
But that was just the beginning of my campus escapades. I dove headfirst into the world of clubs and fests, from E-Summit to Antaragni. I even got some “gyaan” from the super cool fourth-years, who were always ready with treats and work to be done xD. My wingmates in Hall 2 quickly became like family to me during my first semester. We bonded over late-night bulla (chit-chat) sessions, celebrating birthdays with treats at the canteen and CCD (Café Coffee Day), and exploring the various fests on campus. These shared experiences created some of my fondest memories at IIT Kanpur.
As my first two semesters flew by, I made friends, had adventures, and learned much about myself. And as Captain Jack Sparrow once said, ‘Life’s not meant to be just one thing, my dear. It’s meant to be a series of peaks and valleys.’ Little did I know that there were coming valleys waiting for me in the subsequent semesters.
Part 2 – Finding Creativity in Isolation: My Experience with CMT4F and IIT Meme Cell
After the summer vacation of 2018, after my first year, I arrived in Kanpur with a strong determination to excel academically. However, soon after the start of my third semester, I began to notice something was off. I started experiencing a persistent ringing sound in both of my ears, known as tinnitus. The intensity and pitch of the ringing would fluctuate, seemingly influenced by external factors and time. This condition profoundly affected my daily life, disrupting my concentration and ability to focus on my studies. Despite attending every lecture, I struggled to hear the professors’ words properly. It didn’t matter where I sat in the lecture hall, I couldn’t understand their words. Even conversations with my friends sitting beside me in lecture halls became challenging to comprehend. This experience was distressing, and it led me to avoid noisy environments, and I stopped attending lectures. On top of that, I developed Psoriasis, a skin condition characterized by red, scaly patches on the skin. I sought medical help and was informed by a genetic doctor at Regency Hospital that these were genetic diseases stemming from CMT4F. This resulted in symptoms such as difficulty walking, tinnitus, Psoriasis, and problems with coordination and balance.
The third semester was particularly challenging for me, and I received F grades in 5 out of the 6 courses I took, placing me in the Warning category. During the winter vacation, I went home and tried to come to terms with this new reality for my body. When I returned for the fourth semester in 2019, I struggled to attend lectures and understand the professors’ words. Despite my best efforts, I received a couple more F grades, which pushed me into the Academic Probation category. The difficulty conversing with my friends in noisy environments such as the mess, canteen, and lecture halls made me more secluded in my room. However, I found solace in making memes as a way to still have some form of social interaction. It gave me a sense of purpose and fulfillment to create something that could make people laugh or relate to a shared experience. It was also a way to distract myself from my physical symptoms and the stress of my academic performance. Making memes allowed me to focus on something within my control and helped me feel a sense of accomplishment, even when other aspects of my life felt out of my control.
I started sending these memes to the IIT Meme Cell page, and the admin began liking my memes. Eventually, they made me the admin of IIT Meme Cell after they graduated that year in 2019 when we had around 10k followers. Through my work with the Meme Cell, I found a new community of like-minded individuals who appreciated my humor and creativity. It was a refreshing change from the isolation I had been feeling due to my condition. In a way, making memes became a form of therapy for me, allowing me to cope with the challenges of CMT4F in a positive and productive way.
As I look back on my journey with CMT4F and the IIT Meme Cell, I am reminded of a quote from Liverpool Football Club’s manager, Jurgen Klopp: “You can only deal with the situation you’re in, not the situation you wish you were in.” While I may have initially wished for a different reality, I learned to accept and work with the hand I was dealt. CMT4F presented me with challenges, but it also gave me the opportunity to find a new passion and community through meme-making. Through this experience, I learned that creativity can flourish even in isolation and that there is always something positive to be found in any situation.
Part 3 – Rising Above Setbacks: Overcoming Academic Termination at IIT Kanpur
Then came the summer vacation of my second year in 2019. I decided to consult an Ear Doctor back home, who suggested that I get hearing aids, so I went ahead and got them. It made a noticeable difference in my life, and I returned to campus with renewed determination to pass all my courses in my fifth semester. I started studying with friends and engaging more in campus life, but unfortunately, a couple of weeks later, my hearing aids developed a fault, and I had to send them for repair. The repair work took two whole months, and during that time, I ended up missing classes and spending more time on the IIT Meme Cell page, posting memes to pass the time. As a result, I ended up failing two courses, and my CPI dropped to 2.9. When I received the email that I had been academically terminated from IIT Kanpur, it was a hard pill to swallow. I couldn’t believe that my academic journey at such a prestigious institution had come to a halt. I felt disappointed in myself for not meeting the institution’s academic standards, and I was anxious about how this setback would impact my future opportunities and plans.
During that tough time, Bharat from the Counseling Service reached out to me and encouraged me to appeal against my Academic Termination. He urged me to describe the health issues I had been facing that had affected my academic performance. I mustered up the courage to write about my struggles and how I was actively thinking of ways to address my academic situation, seeking support from others, and developing a plan to move forward. Thankfully, my appeal was successful, and I was reinstated into the Institute.
Returning for my sixth semester in 2020, I knew it was a do-or-die situation for me. I was determined to sort out my academics and get back on track. I attended classes diligently, made new friends in the courses I was taking, and fortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I was able to secure S grades in some courses and pass others. But it was hard to accept that I was catching up on backlog courses while my peers were moving ahead with their lives, passing courses, getting good internships, and planning for placements. It was a challenging time, but I remained focused and determined to succeed because that’s what truly mattered to me.
As I look back on my journey through Academic Termination and rising above setbacks, I am reminded of a quote from the 3 Idiots movie: “Life is a race. If you don’t run fast, you will be like a broken anda (egg).” Many times your college life may seem like a race, but it’s important to remember that everyone has their own pace and timeline. It’s okay to stumble and fall sometimes as long as we pick ourselves up and keep moving forward.
Part 4- A Hobbit-Sized Journey: Finding Unexpected Opportunities During the Pandemic (and a Love for ‘The Lord of the Rings’)
But hey, every cloud has a silver lining, right? COVID-19 turned out to be a blessing in disguise for me. With everything moving online, I no longer had to deal with my walking and hearing problems on campus. I could easily text my friends and chat online without any noise disruptions. Lectures were on Zoom or Google Meet, so I could finally hear every word my professors said without any distractions. It was like unlocking a power-up in a video game!
And do you know what helped me through this difficult time? “The Lord of the Rings” movie series. It became my new source of motivation to conquer my academic challenges, just as Samwise Gamgee was motivated to save Middle-earth. With renewed enthusiasm, I tackled every lecture and tutorial, and my grades started to improve. Those nightmare F grades from previous semesters began to disappear, replaced by shiny As and Bs. My CPI shot up faster than a Gandalf on a firework rocket, reaching an impressive 5.1 by the end of seven semesters. That’s right, folks, the pandemic actually helped me get my act together. I felt like I was living in my own personal Shire, free from distractions and able to focus on what really mattered. Sure, I still had a gazillion courses left for graduation while my peers were practically done, but I wasn’t going to let that get me down. No way!
When I think of the Shire, I’m reminded of my own Fellowship of the Ring: Shubham as Aragorn (my roommate), Amartya (Y13 Chemical) as Gimli, and Yash (Y13 Economics) as Legolas. They supported, motivated, and helped me manage my academics during the challenging times of the pandemic. Our collaboration even extended to creating memes for the IIT Meme Cell, which became a much-needed source of laughter amidst the difficulties. My circle of friends expanded to include Ajit and Vishvajeet, and together, we were fighting our way through the pandemic. I was also fortunate to have the support of previous admins of the Meme Cell, Sourav (Y14 Aero) and Ishan (Y14 Mech), who had my back through thick and thin.
During the winter break of 2020, I realized that many of my peers were moving into jobs after graduation. So, with the help of my senior contacts in Hall 2, I landed a Business Analyst intern at an IITK startup. However, I soon realized that the internship focused more on marketing, and I desired growth in the software domain like many of my peers. Despite the challenges of managing the internship and academics simultaneously, by the end of my eighth semester, my CPI had risen to 5.5.
But it’s not just about grades and internships. The pandemic brought some unexpected friendships into my life too. I bonded with Arpit (Y10 CSE), Shashwat (Y14 Mech), and Prajual (Y16 Economics), who became my lifelines for sorting out life’s puzzles. And let’s not forget Pranav, my IITK bhai, who shared my pandemic woes and kept me motivated through it all.
As J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of The Lord of the Rings, wrote, “But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer.” The pandemic may have thrown us all for a loop, but it also opened doors I never expected. Life truly is an adventure full of unexpected opportunities, and I was ready to keep journeying forward with my hobbit-sized determination and a stash of “Lord of the Rings” references up my sleeve.
Part 5 – The Road Less Traveled: My Unconventional Path to Landing an Internship
During the summers of my 4th year in 2021, I was all set to embark on the elusive quest for an internship through the Students’ Placement Office (SPO) at IIT Kanpur. But alas, my coding skills were as rusty as the abandoned cycles in the hostel cycle stands! Thankfully, I bumped into Kunj, a Y15 senior, who gave me some golden advice – to dive into the world of Analytics with SQL and Excel. So I brushed up my ‘SELECT’ and ‘SUM’ skills and dived right in, fueled by the never-ending supply of MT chai and samosas.
By the end of my ninth semester, my CPI had risen to a respectable 6.3! Meanwhile, our beloved IIT Meme Cell was also on fire, hitting a milestone of 50k followers by the end of 2021. Move over, COVID-19, we had our own virus spreading throughout the IIT campuses!
During the winter break of 2021, I went into maggu mode, honing my SQL and Excel skills from online resources and even tackling some ML projects like Credit Card Fraud Detection. Together with my Fellowship Of The Ring, we crafted a masterpiece. Resume shining brighter than the legendary OAT sunsets! Armed with newfound knowledge and killer projects, I was ready to rock the off-campus internship hunt.
Little did I know that the off-campus internship hunt would be as challenging as navigating through the chaos of the infamous mess rush on Special Dinner nights. I went on a spree, sending hundreds of emails to IIT Kanpur alumni, hoping for a positive response. Unfortunately, most of the time, I received no response or polite rejections. However, I refused to give up and expanded my horizons by reaching out to non-IITK alumni on LinkedIn and even joining internship opportunities channels on Telegram. The process was intense, and I felt like a lone warrior fighting a battle, but I was determined to land an internship.
I’ve had my fair share of rough interviews, you know, the kind where you feel like you’re a first-year student trying to impress the seniors. But, as a Hall 2 Bakait, perseverance runs through my veins. Over 2 months, I sent out over 200 emails, applied to more than 100 internships, and went through interviews with 10 different companies. The process was a roller coaster of emotions, ranging from the excitement of getting interview calls to the disappointment of receiving rejection emails. I must admit that those rejections sometimes made me question my abilities and left me feeling deflated. I poured a lot of time and effort into crafting my applications and perfecting my interview skills, so each rejection stung more than the last. Despite the setbacks, I kept pushing forward and reminded myself of the mantra, “Fail Fast, Fail Forward!” – a reminder to embrace failures as opportunities for growth and learning.
Finally, on March 14th, 2022, after countless interviews and sleepless nights, I bagged a Product Analyst intern role at Kraze App! It was a major win, and I was on cloud nine! 🎉 The internship turned out to be a blast, and they even extended it to 6 months with a bigger stipend, all thanks to my kickass work! My tenth semester ended on a high note, with my CPI rising to 6.5 and a good internship experience in my hands for the placements season.
As Bilbo Baggins from The Lord of the Rings once said, “It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” And indeed, my unconventional path to landing an internship was like taking the road less traveled, but it led me to a remarkable destination, filled with valuable experiences and cherished memories.
Part 6 – From Placement Tests to Meme Cell Family Meets: My Final Semesters at IIT Kanpur
Can you believe it? I only had a couple more courses left before I could say goodbye to IIT Kanpur! After ten grueling semesters, I was finally nearing the finish line. But before I could take the tempo to the Railway Station for the one last time, I had to face the grand SPO placements season. The time when all our blood, sweat and tears come to a head, and it feels like the JEE preparation days again. The placement season started quickly, and we were required to submit our resumes. I updated my resume with the off-campus intern and some more Machine Learning projects, hoping to catch the eye of some top companies. This time I was sure to only apply for Data and Product roles.
The placement tests started, and boy, was I busy! Between taking tests and juggling academics, I barely had time to catch my breath. I also started preparing for mock interviews through the help of The Product Folks and Doremon Den members. I also had some good friends in Harshal, Bhaumik, and Sagar to help each other. And then, the interview shortlists started rolling in, and I was shortlisted for a couple of companies for Day 1-3. I mean, who wouldn’t want to get placed on these days, right? But here’s where things got tricky. Despite my best efforts, my hearing issues and lack of experience in physical interviews held me back on Day 1 and 2. It was frustrating, but I wasn’t about to give up. On the day I finally got placed, I found myself juggling between two company interviews that went on for more than 4 hours, and I had to sit through 5 interviews in total. It was like giving the JEE Advanced test, lol! But all that hard work paid off, and I managed to secure an offer from one of them. The next day I gave treats to my Company Coordinators at Domino’s Pizza because it’s an unwritten rule at IIT Kanpur. And as it turned out, both of them were already following my pages and appreciated the content I was putting out. That’s how you know you’ve made it big, when everyone recognizes your work: students, Alumni, and Professors alike. So that was the Meme Cell Family Meet #61, and it was a blast. The grades of my eleventh semester also came out, and my CPI rose closer to 7.
After a week of celebrations, I decided to pursue another remote internship because I had just one last course to do in my twelfth semester, so why not make the most of it? I hit up my LinkedIn feed, Slack channels, and Telegram channels and applied to five companies in the first week. And would you believe it? I got a reply from all five of them! They all asked me to complete some SQL and Data Science assignments, so I started working on them according to the ascending order of deadlines. Because you know, as they say, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”.Before I knew it, I had two interviews on December 22nd and was selected for both internships. But here’s where things got tricky again. I had to choose between two amazing offers, which was like choosing between butter chicken and biryani – impossible! But eventually, I went with the Data Analyst intern at topmate.io because I enjoyed working on their assignment more, and they were working on the Creator Economy, which I’m pretty passionate about since I am also a creator. It was a match made in heaven. All in all, December 2022 turned out to be the best month of my life, and IIT Meme Cell also reached the milestone of 70k followers across all platforms.
During my twelfth semester, I spent my time meeting with my page followers, working on my internship, and trying out all the delicious food in Halls 1, 2, 5, and 7. I also bonded with my current roommate, Pradunma, even though he’s a Manchester United supporter (ugh). But I have to give credit where it’s due – the guy works hard and is chaapu at quizzing competitions. I also got closer to Abhishek Verma, my page follower, and we used to hang out every weekend, talking about memes and life in general. By the end of April, I was also able to complete a total of 100 Meme Cell Family Meets, which is an unbelievable number. It brings me joy to see that people appreciate my content and want to come and meet me. And you know what’s even better than being popular on campus? The fact that I was able to use my platform to help people. Whenever someone came to me with a problem or a question, I did my best to listen and offer advice. And I’m so proud to say that I never did wrong to a single one of my followers. I’ve always tried to be there for them, whether they needed a shoulder to cry on or just someone to laugh with. Thank you for liking my memes, sharing them, and messaging me to show your appreciation. And most of all, thank you for being a part of the Meme Cell family. IIT Meme Cell ka tempo high hai! 😂❤️
As I reflect on my journey at IIT Kanpur, I can’t help but think of Detective Lester Freamon’s quote from The Wire: “All the pieces matter.” Every grueling JEE preparation day, every course at IIT Kanpur, every setback, every success, every semester, every internship, every meme, and every interaction with my followers and friends – they all shaped me into the person I am today. And now, as I prepare to leave this place behind, I know I am ready to take on whatever comes next. Thank you, IIT Kanpur, for giving me the opportunity to learn, grow, and make some unforgettable memories. And to all my fellow readers, remember: all the pieces matter. Keep pushing, keep striving, and never give up on your dreams.
Written by- Mohammad Abdullah Ansari
Edited by- Gupil Chhabra, Kunaal Gautam
Design by- Mrunmay
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